Coin controlled liquid dispenser



y 1952 J. H. SMlTH ETAL com CONTROLLED LIQUID DISPENSER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Aug. 29, 1958 John H. Smith m MW. H H. mm m? m w.

July 31,1962 I J. H. SMITH ETAL 3,04

COIN CONTROLLED LIQUID DISPENSER Filed Aug. 29, 1958 s Sheets-Sheet 2Fig.2 4

John H. Smith Raymond H. Miller INVENTORS BY M July 31, 1962 .1. H.SMITH ETAL 3,047,119

COIN CONTROLLED LIQUID DISPENSER Filed Aug. 29, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 5Fig.3

John H. Smith Raymond H. Miller I N V EN TORS BY MEM,

United States Patent Ofitice 3,047,119 Patented July 31, 1962 Thepresent invention generally relates to a dispensing apparatus and moreparticularly to a coin controlled liquid dispenser.

An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid dispenser inwhich a coin controlled mechanism will accurately dispense apredetermined quantity of liquid in a novel manner.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a coin controlmechanism for a liquid dispenser in which the coins act as a connectingmeans between a rotatable shaft and a cam for actuating the dispenser.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a dispenser inaccordance with the preceding objects in which a siphoning action isemployed for discharging liquid from one area of the dispenser to adischarge area.

Yet another important feature of the present invention- 7 is to providea Vertically removable cylindrical member receiving the neck end of aninverted bottle so that by lowering the same, a predetermined quantityof liquid will be discharged from the bottle into a cylindrical memberwhich causes flow of liquid from a siphoning tube for controlling theflow discharge and cutting oh the flow in a rapid manner to preventdripping from the discharge.

Other objects of the present invention will reside in its simplicity ofconstruction, ease of operation, adaptation for its particular purposesand its relatively inexpensive manufacturing cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the coin controlled liquid dispenserof the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a planepassing along section line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 illustrating certain detailsof the actuating mechanism for the vertically movable cylindricalmember;

FIGURE 3 is a plan sectional view taken substantially upon a planepassing along section line 33 of FIGURE 2 illustrating furtherstructural details of the vertically movable cylindrical member and theguide means for the com;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a planepassing along section line 4-4 of FIGURE 2 illustrating furtherstructural details of the actuating mechanism for the liquid dispenser;

FIGURE 5 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially upon a planepassing along section line 55 of FIGURE 4 illustrating the structuralarrangement of the discharge adapter;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passingalong section line 66 of FIGURE 4 illustrating the coin controlledmechanism;

FIGURE 7 is a detailed sectional view illustrating the structure of thevertically movable cylindrical member and the relationship of the neckof the bottle thereto;

FIGURE 8 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially upon a planepassing along section line 8-8 of FIGURE 6 illustrating furtherstructural details of the operating knob;

FIGURE 9 is a detailed sectional view showing the construction in whichblanks may be employed for blocking out certain coin receiving slots inthe coin control mechanism;

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of the stopper for the container whenthe same is removed or replaced; and

FIGURE 11 is a perspective view of one of the blank members used in thecoin mechanism.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generallydesignates the coin controlled liquid dispenser of the present inventionand generally incorporates a casing designated by the numeral 12 andincluding a base plate 14, side walls 16, a rear wall 18, a front wall26 and a top wall 22. Disposed in inverted relation on the casing 12 isa liquid container 24 which may be of glass, metal or any other suitableconstruction with the device preferably being adapted for use with aconventional glass container such as a bottle or the like. A holddownrod 26 is inserted through the top Wall 22 and has a downwardly curvedupper end 28 engaging the uppermost part of the container 24. The lowerend of the holddown rod 26 is received within a cylindrical bore 30 in abracket member 32 secured to the base plate 14. Adjacent the lower endof the rod 26, there is provided a notch 34 for receiving a rotatablelatch 36 mounted on a pivot shaft 38. One end of the pivot shaft 38 isprovided with an ofiset arm 40 and an axial spring 42 urging the camlatch 36 to a retracted position. When the latch 36 is in engagementwith the notch 34, the holddown rod 34 will be retained in position forholding the container 24 in position.

Insertable through the front wall 20 is a coin box 44 which will engagethe offset end 40 and hold the latch 36 in locking position. Thus, aslong as the coin box 44 is in the casing 12, the holddown 26 will beretained in position. The coin box 34 may be provided with any suitablelock mechanism and may be provided with either a key lock or acombination type locking mechanism whereby the container 24 cannot bechanged until such time as the coin box 44 is removed.

Disposed on the upper end of the casing and projecting through the topwall 22 is a coin receiver generally designated by the numeral 46 whichincludes a pair of spaced vertical plates 43 and 50 divided into aplurality of vertical passageways 52 by a plurality of transversepartitions 54. Disposed between each of the partitions 54 and extendingthrough the wall 50 is a plurality of coin receiving apertures 56 whichare generally in alignment for receiving various sized coins inasmuch asthe apertures 56 are of a size to receive various size coins. Suitableindicia may be provided adjacent each aperture for indicating the typeof coin to be inserted into that particular aperture. As shown in FIGURE4, the wall 50 is cut away to define a recess 58 for permitting thecoins 60 to rotate away from the coin receiving device 46 to a positionin relation to the entry for permitting the coins to be dischargedvertically into the coin box.

Disposed in alignment with and below the passageways 52 is an operatingshaft 62 journaled in bearings 64- at the front and rear of the casingrespectively. Mounted on the shaft 62 is a plurality of cylindricalmembers 66 each of which are provided with inwardly extending radial 3member 70 journaled on the shaft 62 and attached to the forwardmostcylindrical member 66 whereby the cam member 71) will be operative onlywhen the proper number of coins are disposed in the apertures 56forinterlocking all of the cylindrical members'66 to form a single unit. Inthe event it is necessary or desirable to use or require only a certainnumber of coins, blank members 72 may be employed for interconnectingthe cylindrical members 66. These blanks may be of any convenientconstruction and are shown in FIGURES 9 and 11 for the purpose ofinterlocking adjacent cylindrical members 66 and thus reducing thenumber of coins necessary to operate the cam 7 0.

Mounted on the outer end of the shaft 62 is an operat ing knob 74 withthe knob 74 being provided with an axial bore 76 receiving the coilspring 78 and a spring detent 80 with the outer end of the bore 76 beingclosed by a screw threaded plug 82. A fastening member 84 is threadedinto the end of the shaft 62 for retaining the knob 74 on the shaft 62.A cam member 86 is provided on the shaft 62 and is engaged with thespring urged detent 80 and also is engaged with lugs or notches on theknob 74 with the lugs or notches being designated 88.

The lugs or notches 88 on the knob 74 engage a stop member 90 mounted onthe front wall which limits rotation of the knob 74 to approximately 90.With the detent 80 engaging one axial face of the cam designated by thenumeral 92, the cam 86 can be caused to rotate approximately 90 degreesthus rotating the shaft approximately 90. The knob 74 then may bereversed or turned counterclockwise for riding the Spring detent 86 upthe ramp 94 of the cam until it drops behind another vertical face 92after which the knob 74 may be rotated another 90 for turning the shaft62 another 90 thus completing the 180 turn for the shaft 62. tialoperation of the shaft 62 thus causing sequential operation of 'the cam70for operating the dispensing mecha- This will assure sequennism topermit gravitational flow of liquid from the contop wall 22. The plate98 is provided with a central opening 102 defined by a depending innercylindrical member 104. The inner cylindrical member 194 terminates inan inwardly extending flange 106 having a central opening 108 therein.Disposed against the inner surface of the inner cylindrical member 104is a cylindrical gasket or seal 1'10 constructed of resilient materialsuch as rubber or the like with the upper end of the cylindrical seal110 having an inwardly extending enlargement or rib 112 for sealinglyengaging the neck of the bottle or container 24. The lower end of thecylindrical sealing gasket 110 is provided with an inwardly extendingflange 114 underlying and engaging the free end or bottom end of theinverted bottle 24. Disposed on the outer surface of the cylindricalmember 104 is an annular ring 116 which is externally threaded asindicated at numeral 118. Screw threadedly engaged with the annular ring1 18 is an'outer annular ring 120 which is internally threaded asindicated by the numeral 122. The internally threaded ring 120 isadjustably mounted on the externa ly threaded ring 116 and the outercircumference of the annular ring 120 is provided with a peripheralgroove 124 for receiving an O-ring 126, which sealingly and slidablyengages an outer cylindrical member 128 which is arranged telescopicallywith the cylindrical member 96 and is in sliding engagement therewithwhereby the O-ring seal 126 will seal the interior of the cylindricalmember .128 with the annular ring 1120. The annular ring will also formThe outer cylindrical member 128 is provided with a depending centralportion 130 having an internally threaded bore 132 for receiving astopper 134 having a longitudinally extending externally threaded stud136 thereon which is screw-threadedly engaged with the internallythreaded socket 132. Also provided in the cylindrical member 128 is anopening 138 receiving and mounting a siphon pipe 140. The annular ring1124 is provided with an opening 14-2 for-communicating the interior ofthe annular ring 121 with the exterior of the annular ring 120 thusassuring communication with the siphon tube 140. The aperture 142 isshown aligned with the siphoning tube but the same may be misalignedtherewith and the siphoning tube 146 will be communicated with the areaor space between the inner surface of the cylindrical member 128 and theouter surface of the annular ring 120 below the seal 126. The dependingstud 134) on the outer cylindrical member 128 is slid ably received in avertical sleeve 144 having a notch 150 therein. Attached to the stud 139and extending outwardly through the notch 150 is an opening arm 152resting against an adapter plate 154 on the upper endof a compressioncoil spring 156. The lower end of the coil compression spring 156 restsagainst an adapter158 on the base of the casing. The outer end of thearm 152 engages a guide member 166 for guiding the vertical move 70which is in the form of a circular plate having a pair a ofdiametrically opposed recesses 168 defined by a radial face and a faceextending perpendicular to the bottom edge of the radial face wherebyrotation of the cam 70 through 180 will cause a depression of the lever164 and an upward movement thereof back to a normal position thusproviding one cycle of operation. The depending stud 162 is adjustableas is a limit stud 170 engaging the upper edge of the lever 164 forlimiting the upward movement thereof whereby the stud 170 is mounted ona bracket 172.

The siphoning tube 140 extends horizontally and then turns upwardly asdesignated by the numeral 174 with there being provided an invertedU-shaped portion 176 and a depending vertical portion 178 in parallelrelation to the vertical portion 174 which extends into the open upperend of a small discharge receptacle 180v which is formed in a supportingblock 182 attached to the front wall 20. Projecting downwardly at anangle to the block 132 is a discharge tube 184 which extends into thereceptacle 180 adjacent the bottom thereof and has the inner enddefining a portion of the periphery of'the receptacle 180. The lower endof the tube 184 is also beveled in the same manner and an adapter orsupport member 186 is disposed on the outer end of the tube 184 andsecured thereto as by setscrew 188 forming a nondripping discharge tube.

Referring back to the construction of the coin control mechanism,attention is directed to FIGURE 4 in which the cylindrical members 66are illustrated as having diametrically opposed flattened portions 67for engagement with a flat leaf spring 69 whereby the flat leaf spring69 is mounted for engagement with the flattened portion 67 thus formingmeans for holding the members 66 in the desired position so that thecoins will be received in the notches 68 and will be dischargedtherefrom into the coin box 44.

In operation, the bottle or container is installed and locked inposition by inserting the coin box and the device is then ready foroperation. By inserting the proper coin in the proper aperture 56, thecoins will interlock the cylindrical member 66 whereby rotation of theknob 74 will cause corresponding rotation of the shaft 62. This rotationwill be in a sequential manner as previously described and rotation ofthe shaft 62 will cause rotation of the cam 70 through the interlockedmembers 66. Rotation of the cam 70 will cause downward pivotal movementof the lever 164 which in turn causes downward sliding movement of thearm 152 thereby causing downward movement of the stud 130 and the outercylindrical member 128. This will lower the static level of liquidconfined within the outer cylindrical member 128 and the annular ring120 thus permitting a predetermined quantity of liquid to be dischargedfrom the container 24 into the increased volume defined by downwardmovement of the cylindrical member 128. The siphon tube 140 is rigidwith the cylindrical member 128 and moves downwardly therewith thusproviding a constant elevation relationship between the siphoning tube140 and the cylindrical member 128. Inasmuch as downward movement of thecylindrical member 128 varies the elevational relationship between theliquid in the container 24 and the liquid within the cylindrical member128, the additional quantity of liquid discharged into the cylindricalmember 128 will cause flow of liquid material over the inverted U-shapedportion 176 of the siphoning tube 140 thus cause flow into thereceptacle 180. As soon as the flow starts over the inverted U-shapedportion 176 of the siphoning tube 140, the depending vertical portion178 will cause a siphoning action in the tube 176 which will siphon acertain amount of the liquid out of the tube 140 and out of thecylindrical member 128 due to the well known siphoning action wherebythe flow of liquid will be promptly and accurately cut ofl? so that thesame relationship of the elevation of liquid in the siphoning tube 140and in the cylindrical member 128 exists and provides a normal conditionwhich is overbalanced by discharge of the liquid 24 into the cylindricalmember 128. The stopper 134 may be adjusted to normally form a closurefor the lower end of the container 24 and may be removed with thecontainer 24 if the container 24 is pressed downwardly thus compressingthe inwardly extending flange 114 whereby the stopper 134 will befrictionally engaged and by rotation of the container 24, the stopper134 may be extracted from the socket 132 and engaged in the open end ofthe container 24 thus sealing the container for permitting easy removalthereof without spilling and also for permitting insertion of a new orreplenished container without spilling therefrom.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A dispensing device comprising a casing, a container detachablymounted on said casing, said container having an open end facingdownwardly, vertically reciprocal seal means normally forming closuremeans for the open end of the container, and means for temporarilyreleasing the seal means for permitting discharge of a predeterminedquantity of liquid from the container, said releasing means including acam rotatable on a shaft, and removable means forming an interlockbetween the shaft and cam for rotating the cam only when the last namedmeans is present, said seal means including a siphon tube movablevertically therewith for dispensing only when the seal means is lowered.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said sealing means for thecontainer includes a vertically movable cylindrical member having astopper thereon whereby downward movement of the cylindrical member andstopper will permit discharge of liquid from the bottle into thecylindrical member.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said container is provided with aholddown member, said holddown member being locked into said casing, andmeans for releasing said holddown member, said means including a coinreceiving box and a latch mechanism operable in response to presence ofthe coin receiving box whereby the container will be held in the casingas long as the coin receiving box is in position.

4. A dispensing device comprising a container having a downwardly facingopening, seal means normally closing the opening, and coin control meansfor temporarily releasing the seal means for discharging a quantity ofliquid from the container, said coin control means including a series ofcylindrical members journaled on a shaft, at least one of saidcylindrical members being locked to the shaft, each of said cylindricalmembers having facing notches therein whereby coins will engage thenotches in adjacent cylindrical members for interlocking the cylindricalmembers, each of said notches underlying a vertical passage in a coinfeed mechanism thus guiding the coins into the notches for interlockingthe cylindrical members for causing rotation of an op erating cammounted on the shaft and connected to one of the journaled cylindricalmembers upon deposit of a proper number of coins and operation of theshaft.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said shaft is provided with anoperating knob, and cam means for limiting movement of the knob to apartial cycle of op eration and requiring return to an initial positionto complete the cycle for assuring delay in the final movement of theknob and shaft thus permitting the entire measured quantity of liquid todischarge from the container into the dispenser.

6. A dispenser comprising a casing, means on said casing for retaining asupply of liquid material to be dispensed, dispensing means forcontrolling the flow of liquid from the liquid retaining means, saiddispensing means including a vertically movable receptacle having astatic liquid level therein forming a seal for the retaining meanswhereby liquid will flow from the retaining means into the receptaclewhen the receptacle is lowered, means for temporarily lowering saidreceptacle, and a syphon tube movable with the receptacle whereby liquidwill be discharged from the receptacle by the syphon tube when theliquid level in the receptacle is raised in relation to the syphon tubewhereby the syphon tube discharges a quantity of liquid to bring theliquid level in the receptacle to a predetermined level in relation tothe syphon tube.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein means is provided for limiting thedownward movement of the receptacle for controlling the quantity ofdischarge from the syphon tube when thereceptacle is depressed.

8. The combination of claim 6 wherein said casing is provided with adischarge adapter having an inclined discharge tube therein, a block onthe inner surface of said casing and having the tube extending into thewall thereof, said block having a recess in the upper end for receivingthe vertically extending terminal end of the syphon tube for permittingvertical movement of the syphon tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS451,472 Fisher May 5, 1891 534,604 Franklin Feb. 19, 1895 1,410,635Williams Mar. 28, 1922 1,514,834 Danenhower Nov. 11, 1924 1,619,245Donathan Mar. 1, 1927 1,717,593 White June 18, 1929 2,720,922 Bell Oct.18, 1955

